Pipe tongs



11499552 W. c. REYNOLDS PI PE TONGS Filed Oct. 10, 1922 A Patented July l, 1924i.

WILLIAM C. REYNOLDS, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR F ONE-HALF IO i FRANKLIN J', YOUNG, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

Pini: Tonos.

Application filed ctober 10, 1922. Serial Nh. 593,609.

To all 'whom t may con/0cm.'

Be it known that I, WILLIAM C. REYN- oLDs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Los Angeles, in the countyfof Los Angeles and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Pipe Tongs, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in pipe tongs of the general type disclosed in my co-pending application for patent, filed March 1st, 1922, Serial No. 540,232, the

principal objects of my present inventionv being togenerally improve upon and simplify the construction of the tongs disclosed in my aforesaid application, as well other forms of similar devices, to provide pipe tongs that are practically automatic in closing when applied to a pipe or the like and further to provide a strong and substantial device of the character referred to thatk is of relatively simple structure, thereby enabling it to be easily and cheaply produced and marketed.-

With the foregoing and other objects in view, my invention consists in certain novel features of construction and arrangement of parts that will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed and illustrated in the accompanying` drawings in which Fig. 1 is an elevational view of a pair of tongs of my improved construction.

Fig. 2 is a section taken through the center of the tongs.

Fig. 3 is a cross section taken on the line 3--3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a perspective View of the slip or toothed block t at engages the pipe or tube that is to be rotated by the tongs.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the latch that retains the hinged or pivoted jaw in closed position.

Referring by numerals to the accompanying drawings which illustrate a practical 45 embodiment of my invention, 10 designates a substantially semi-circular jaw, from one end of which projects a tubular extension 11 and the latter being adapted to receive a handle 12 of any desired length.

A substantially semi-circular movable j aw 13 is hinged to the end of a fixed jaw 10 by a hinge pin 14 and formed integral with the hinged end of said jaw 13 is an extension finger 15.

This finger occupies a recess 16 in jaw 10 when jaw 13 is closed and arranged within said recess and bearing against the rear side of finger 15 is a spring 17. This spring is designed to bear on the finger 15 and throw `jaw 13 into open position when the free end of said jaw is released.

Formed on the outer face of the free end of jaw 13 is a pair of outwardly projecting spaced lugs 18.

Occupying the chamber 19 in extension 11 is the head 2O of a latching member and passing through said head is a hinge or pivot pin 21. The body 22 of this latching member extends downward through an opening in the bottom of extension 11 and the* lower portion of said body terminates in a plate 23. Shoulders 24 are formed on the upper end of plate 23 to the sides of body 22, which shoulders are adapted to engage against the under side of lugs 18 when jaw 13 is closed.

Bearing against the.rear side of latch body 22 is an expansive coil spring 25 the function of which is to force the latching member into lug engaging position.

Formed on the front side of head 2O is a hook lug 26 that is adapted to engage on top of a lug 27 that is formed on the rear lower side of the body of a slip 28. Formed on the sides of this slip are inclined shoulders 29 that bear against similarly inclined shoulders 30 that are formed on the inner lower corners of the side walls of extension 11. The inner curved face of slip 28 is pron vided with a series of transversely disposed teeth 31 that are adapted to engage and bite into the surface of the pipe that is received between the aws of the tongs.

Formed through the body of slip 28 is an inclined slot 32 and passing therethrough is a. pin 33 that is seated in the side walls of extension l1.

Bearing against the under side of slip 28 is an expansive coil spring 34 that normally retains said slip at the upper end of its sliding movement. iVhen jaw 13 is fully opened it occupies the position shown by dotted lines in Fig. 1 with finger 15 projecting outwardly into the space between the jaws.

When the tongs are applied to a pipe, they are manipulated so that linger 15 strikes against the pipe thereby forcing said finger rearwardly into recess 16 and closing j aw 13.

As the latter swings into closed position,

lugs 18 strike against the face of plate 23 thereby forcing latch 22 rearwardly, until the lugs pass the shoulders 24:, whereupon y spring 25 returns latch to its normal posil move the same with the tongs and on the reverse movement the teeth will ride over the surface of the pipe withouty engaging therein.

To disengagey the tongs from the pipe, plate 23 of latch 22 is pulled rearwardly so as to disengage shoulders 24 from the lugs 18 and as the latch is thus moved lug 26 will bear on lug 27 to pull slip 28 downward So as to disengage the teeth of the slip from the pipe. Assoon as the shoulders 24 pass from beneath lugs 18 spring 17 will act on finger 15 to throw the free end of jaw 13 into open position thus enabling the device to be easily and quickly removed from the pipe.

Tongs of my improved construction are comparatively simple in construction and operation, may be easily and cheaply produced, close automaticallv when applied to a pipe, may be made in various sizes, and are especially useful in connecting or disconnecting the pipe sections of well casings or of oil or water pipe lines.

Obviously the details of construction of my improved tongs may be varied slightly without departing from the spirit oi' my invention, the scope of which is set iorth in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention l. The herein described pipe tongs comprising a jaw, a handle rigidly secured thereto, a jaw hinged to the first mentioned jaw, a spring pressed slip arranged for sliding movement on the iirst mentioned jaw, a latch pivoted to the irst mentioned jaw for securing the hinged jaw in closed position, and connections between the latch and slip whereby the latter is retracted when the latch is moved to release the hinged jaw.

2. The herein described pipe tongs coniprising a pair of jaws hinged to each other, a toothed slip arranged for sliding movement on one of said jaws, a pivotcd latch for retaining the jaws in closed position and connections between the latch and slip whereby the slip is retracted when the latch is actuated to release the jaws.

3. In pipe tongs of the class described a relatively fixed jaw, a jaw hinged to the fixed jaw, a toothed slip arranged for sliding movement on the fixed jaw, a latch pivoted to the fixed jaw for engaging and holding the hinged jaw in closed position and a lug on said latch for engaging the slip to retract the same when said latch is actuated to release the hinged jaw.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

VVILLIM C. REYNOLDS. 

